Art to Life

     For this project, my group encountered a great deal of technological problems.  If this had not occurred, I believe the hard effort that we put into the assignment would have been more obvious in the film.  I am extremely proud of the film, considering all the obstacles we had.  Of course, if we had had more time we would have been able to create stronger visuals, yet I believe we accomplished what we set out to do.  Next time, I would be sure to leave enough time to edit, since that is where most of our problems occurred. Everything we had filmed was not appearing during the editing process so we simply decided to reshoot all our scenes and just move forward.  Although extremely frustrating, I believe we handled the situation well and as best as we could.
     Aside from learning that editing is not for me, I learned how to work well with others during stressful situations.  Also, I learned the importance of time management, especially when using technology.  Furthermore, I was able to apply both the photography and film skills we learned.  They were used to create clear shots.  Each shot is a photograph in itself so it was always important to maintain a certain look while filming.  Additionally, we were able to use different shots and film techniques, such as medium shots and panning.
     I contributed greatly to this project.  I was a part of everything from acting to editing.  I really worked hard in learning how to create smooth transitions and how to edit out scenes and shots that were unnecessary.  Once again, by applying my photography skills I was able to direct what shots would appear best to the viewer.
     Once again, I'm extremely happy with the outcome of our film considering all of our problems. Overall, this was a tremendous learning experience to say the least!

Film Analysis Assignment

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through A Lens was extremely interesting due to various reasons.  Firstly, it was fascinating to view how she decided what photos would go in her book.  Her wall of personal photographs versus her wall of editorial photographs, displayed the large variation of photos she had taken over her career.  It was incredible to see how she would cover all aspects of her life in her book (personal, entertainment, her relationship with Susan and her family).  Secondly, it was enjoyable to learn about Leibovitz’s time at Rolling Stone Magazine and view her photos of iconic musicians.  It was interesting that so many of the people she photographed continued to state how she was never intrusive when taking her pictures, allowing them to forget she was even there.  Lastly, it was fascinating to discover how Leibovitz created her story portraits.  She learned to incorporate things about her subject matters into her photographs.  Leibovitz found a way to cater to the celebrity culture, by generating beautiful portraits that told stories. 

YouTube Assignment

*LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87AkewNcgwU&feature=related


      This piece, entitled "Teeth", is a short film shot entirely in black and white. It begins with an extreme long shot of a lake, (the location of the film). Then, as the film continues, the shots get closer and closer for the first few seconds, to draw the viewer into the scenario. Mostly medium shots are used throughout the film. Yet when one of the men's teeth fall out of his mouth and onto the boat, a high angle shot is used, revealing the old man's point of view. Then the viewer observes the teeth falling into the water, due to the use of a low angle. When the fish is being reeled in, a close up of the other man's hand is shown to display his movement. There is also use of a close up when he puts the teeth into the fish, creating a humourous image. Once again, a close up is used to show the one man putting in the other man's teeth.

  
      This short film was beautifully executed, as a result of the various shots used, but especially due in part to the framing. Even though both men sit with their backs against one another in the film, the viewer is still able to view both men without anything in the way. For instance, when one old man's back is towards the camera, the viewer can see the other man's frame. All the shots prove to be strategically filmed. 

  
      Yet the only alteration that could have been made was use of more extreme long shots, simply to display the natural beauty surrounding the men. Additionally, the close ups at the end of the piece could have been lengthened a bit more. For instance, the quick shots of the fish wearing the teeth, and the ending shot of the old man's expression could have been longer in order to intensify the humor of the situation even more.

Graphics Assignment

      Old movie posters were used to produce this graphics assignment.  All four posters were altered in different ways, using Photoshop. They were minimized in order to fit next to one another on the canvas. The most helpful aspect was utilizing filters, as the colors in the images were transformed substantially.  By fading the posters, blurrying them, and making them black and white, a vintage looking style was created.  The black and white adjustment tool truly assisted in communicating the message of classic film.  Additionally, the message was directly communicated in the text, "Remember The Classics...".  The style, color and font of the text was transformed to appear similar to a classic Hollywood font, thus establishing the message once more.  Overall, the modification of the images and the style of the text contributed to creating one poster that exudes the essence of old Hollywood.

Photography Project: Individual Write-up

          Our group worked extremely well together, as we were all in communication with one another.  When assigned the project, we briefly discussed the kind of photos we could take which could represent force, but ultimately left it up to ourselves to photograph what we wanted.  We then all came back together to see how we could present our photos in a fluid way.  Everybody contributed in their own way and played a part in creating a successful presentation.

            

          There is not much I would have done differently with this assignment.  Of course if more time was permitted I may have been able to shoot even stronger representations of the word “force”.  Also, although I did crop and enhance the color of all of my photos, I could have used Photoshop to a greater extent to truly experiment with the images. 

            

          What I liked most about the finished project was how we managed to find extremely different ways of capturing “force”.  Originally, I was uncertain of how to represent “force” in different ways, while also taking photos worth presenting.  I liked that we were able to embody “force” by depicting images from physical force to natural force.  People have different associations with the word force, yet can understand the various representations our group has portrayed. 

            

          I learned a significant amount about photography by applying the skills I have been taught thus far in the classroom.  What stands out though in particular, is that my perceptions of how a photograph should look, has altered dramatically.  Prior to this assignment I truly believed a “good” photograph should show no flaws.  Yet I learned, for example, that it is ok if the subject matter is blurry, or an object appears out of place.  If the photograph does not look the way you had originally anticipated, it does not mean it is a bad photograph.  I learned to embrace certain flaws in photographs that often bothered me.  I now realize photographs, which depict imperfections, reveal the reality of the scene.  Some of my photographs did not turn out the way I had planned, which is part of the reason my attitude changed.  I actually ended up liking these photographs, which I believe I would have criticized too harshly in the past.  By doing this assignment I learned what truly makes a photograph and discovered what really is important in the art of photography.

            

          My favorite photograph is the one that I took of the hand holding tightly to the dog tags, as it works for various reasons.  The aspect which I believe makes it so strong, is the black shadows that are captured against the wall.  The dark shades help direct the viewer’s eyes to the fist and dog tags.  Additionally, the positioning of the hand, coming diagonally forward in the photo, instantly captures the viewer’s attention.  It is a position that is less expected, thus making it more striking.  Also, by making the photo black and white, the tone is darker and more serious.  The colors would have merely distracted the viewer from what is truly important in the image.  Overall, this photograph represents the kind of powerful force which I had intended it to, as a result of these techniques.

Business Card

5 Favorite Photos

These photographs display several concepts, some more apparent then others. I believe the shallow depth of field in each photo is the strongest visual aspect. The up-close shot of the roses, along with the blurred shots of the stems and leaves, helps draw the viewer's eye to the red part of the rose.  Additionally, the color contrast between the background and subject assists in emphasizing the red in the rose.